Covid Forced Togetherness? - Promotes 34% More Divorce!

Covid caused closeness has helped bring about some better, stronger relationships as couples have more time and fewer distractions from each other.

Aaaaand then there's also this. U.S. Legal Templates - a company that provides legal documents online- reports that they’ve had a 34 percent increase in sales for divorce agreements since the pandemic lockdown began back in March.

Yikes! According to their data, interest in legal separation peaked on April 13th, which is 15 to 20 days after the majority of states implemented official quarantine protocol in March. The uptick could coincide with what mental health professionals refer to as the ‘disillusionment phase’ of the Phases of Disaster.

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration says this phase occurs when "optimism turns to discouragement and stress continues to take a toll, negative reactions, such as physical exhaustion or substance use, may begin to surface.” Last week we we told you that Community Health of Central Washington has added a new psychiatric care services to fill the immediate need posed by the risk of increased suicide rates and mental health challenges in the community.

One interesting finding from the study showed newlyweds took the lockdown the hardest, as 20 percent of couples married for five months or less sought divorce, compared to just 11 percent in the same time period in 2019. Fifty-eight percent of those seeking divorces were married within the last five years, a 16 percent increase since 2019.

That shows if you were tough enough to survive the late twenty-teens, you were tough enough to handle the virus.

Reminds me of the old joke...a group of folks were sitting in church when in a puff of smoke, the devil himself appeared looking terrifying! Everyone including the preacher scattered...except for a little old man sitting in the front pew.

The devil stomped up to the man and roared "do you know who I am?". The old man said yes, "Then you know what i'm capable of, what I can do." growled the horned demon "I surely do" said the old timer. "And you aren't afraid?. hissed Satan. Nope.

"WHY" bellowed the beast. And with that the senior gentleman rose, made his way to the exit, turned back over his shoulder and said, "cuz I've been married to your sister for the last 47 years."

If you and your partner have managed to get past the first five years together, you have weathered the test that even Coronavirus containment can't produce!

Categories: Coronavirus updates, Yakima News

Covid Forced Togetherness? – Promotes 34% More Divorce?